author
William De Lancey Ellwanger
1854–1913
A Rochester lawyer with a collector’s eye and a poet’s ear, he wrote warmly about gardens, trees, and the beauty of handmade things. His books move easily between verse, essays, and close-looking studies of Oriental rugs.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in Rochester, New York, William De Lancey Ellwanger came from the well-known Ellwanger family and was educated at Yale, graduating in 1876. He was admitted to the bar in 1878, but alongside his legal career he built a reputation as a literary man with broad tastes and a gift for graceful observation.
Ellwanger wrote in several modes. His work included poetry in A Summer Snowflake and Drift of Other Verse and Song and reflective essays in A Snuff-Box Full of Trees and Some Apocryphal Essays. He is also remembered for The Oriental Rug, a detailed and enthusiastic study of Eastern rugs and carpets that shows how closely he paid attention to craftsmanship, pattern, and tradition.
What gives his writing its lasting charm is its blend of knowledge and pleasure. Whether he was writing about nature, art, or decorative objects, he brought a calm, appreciative voice that makes even specialized subjects feel inviting.